Recovering from my helldays was easy this week as the winds are warm and the tides friendly. Even the Thrift was user-friendly, as miraculously some vintage silver was put out as I wandered past. The gleanings were a small sterling match case with a crest on it and a crystal perfume bottle with a sterling rim, hallmarked Birmingham, 1916. I also snatched up a very Art Noveau trinket box, crystal with a gold-plate top. Grande total = $18.50
-@ go me! @-
Other people have different hobbies. Me, I like to sift through junk for treasures. I honed my skills working for Joseph Iorio, the King of Canadian Coins (stamps and jewellery.) Standing at his counter going through sacks of stuff looking for precious metals to melt down gave me a razor sharp instinct and a fast eye. I absolutely loved my job there and I believe that I learned more from Joe than from any other single individual. Joe is an overcomer. Joe is a man who takes life and bends it to his will. Joe is a man who tranformed himself. Thank you Joe, for everything.
Now, one trait I acquired in Joseph Iorio's employ was thrift. I am very loath to part with large sums of cash. Somehow paying the retail price defeats the purpose of thrifting. Working at Joe's, I saw beautiful one of a kind items melted down for scrap price. It killed me at first, but I got used to it. The true value of a material good is what someone is willing to pay for it. That's all. Every now and then, when Joe was in an exceptionally good mood he would let me go through the huge bucket of scrap sterling and pick out stuff for myself. He thought it was a strange quirk I had, as he has no attachment to things. I got some amazing treasures from those days.
Today, I felt a whiff of my own past as I scooped up my little trinkets. I was very fortunate and I know it. I am delighted.
